The Great FJ Recipe Thread

The Great FJ Recipe Thread

I'm starting this thread so we don't lose all the great recipes that people are posting in the troll threads. Please add your recipes here as well so we don't lose them when the troll threads go the way of the dinosaur

This is one of my favorite I-don't-feel-like-fussing-with-dinner recipes after a busy day. If we are extra hungry, I will slice up sauteed or grilled chicken breast and add it to the dish. Veggies or salad on the side, of course. Simple but elegant and yummy.

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they turn a deep brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Mix in the chicken stock and rosemary, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until reduced by 1/3, about 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti pasta (broken in half for easier mixing later), and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, then add noodles to the sauce in the skillet. Stir in the remaining butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve in a large bowl family style, or place about 1 cup of pasta in a large mug or small bowl. Insert a dinner fork in the center of the pasta and twirl the fork around, holding the mug steady. The pasta will wind up tighter and tighter as you turn. Remove the fork and immediately turn the pasta out onto a dinner plate or shallow bowl. Garnish with extra cheese and rosemary sprigs.

This is my all time favorite breakfast recipe, and I don't hand it out very readily! I make this pretty much every time we have overnight guests or whenever I'm asked to bring a breakfast/brunch item anywhere. It also works well as a not-super-sweet dessert, so I make it a lot in the fall and winter to follow a big pot of stew or soup. I love that I can whip it up the night before and then bake it the next morning, which is perfect for holidays, but it can also be baked immediately after mixing. It's such a versatile recipe (you can change the type of nuts, add chocolate chips or other flavored chips, toss in fresh or dried fruit, etc.) and so, so easy, not to mention delicious. I've tried several different coffee cake recipes, and this one remains my favorite.

Directions:
1) To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
2) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring to combine.
3) Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan.
4) To make the topping: Combine the brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon stirring to combine.
5) Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.
6) Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight. (Or bake right away)
7) Next morning, take the cake out of the refrigerator, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes (mine is usually done after 35 minutes, so keep an eye on it), until it's golden brown on top. Remove it from the oven, and cool briefly before serving.

I'm not sure why exactly, but this recipe, despite being so simple, is extremely delicious. I found it on the back of the Bisquick box years ago, forgot about it for the years I was a vegetarian, and rediscovered it last month.

Incidentally, I was curious about his claim that "most successful American men are married to foreign women." I looked at the Forbest list of wealthiest people, and this is what I found for the American men:

Bill Gates: Married to an American (Melinda)
Warren Buffet: A widower, but his late wife was American (Susan)
Lawrence Ellison: Married to an American (Melanie)
Jim Walton: Married, but I can't find any info about his wife (Lynne)
Rob Walton: Can't find any info
Michael Bloomberg: Divorced from his British wife and currently dating an American
Sergey Brin: Married to an American (Anne)
Charles Koch: Married to an American (Liz)
David Koch: Married, but I can't find any info
Larry Page: Married to an American (Lucinda)

And then I got bored. But anyway, of the 10 richest men in America, all of those I could find information about are married to or dating Americans. Guess they're not as smart as our friend, huh?

Here's a really good recipe for lemon bread - its assembly is a little fussy, but it is so pretty and delicious and fun to eat. Subbing the lemon filling for cinnamon sugar in your favorite cinnamon roll recipe is also very good.

One sheet of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (you can find this near frozen pie crusts and pastry shells at the supermarket)1 wheel of baby brie cheese2 Tablespoons of butter (must be the real deal)1/4 cup of brown sugar1/2 cup of chopped pecans

With small, sharp knife, peel/scrape rind off of wheel of cheese. Roll out puffed pastry sheet with a rolling pin and a sprinkle of flour. Place brie wheel in center of puffed pastry sheet. Add butter, brown sugar, and pecans to top of brie. Fold the four corners of the pastry sheet towards the middle and seals edges together with wet fingertips. Flip with sturdy spatula into pie plate or baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and light brown. Serve immediately with plain water crackers, slices of tart apple, or slices of mini-cocktail bread (white).

I have several recipes posted on various sites. Here are some of the better ones that I posted on Tasty Kitchen. I won't post the whole recipe, because that would get a bit obnoxious, but I'll post the description.

Chicken Murphy - While at first glance this recipe doesn’t seem Italian, but I assure you, it’s at least Italian-American, and served throughout New Jersey, where I grew up. The “Murphy” part is the potatoes, but with the hot Italian sausage and hot cherry peppers, it’s one of my favorites. You can cut back on the peppers, but the brine/vinegar adds a ton of flavor, so don’t cut back on that. This dish is definitely SPICY, so enjoy!

Mixed Baby Greens with Onions and Oranges - The juices from the supremed oranges basically create the dressing for this salad that will complement almost any meal! I prepare the dressing (oranges and onions) in the early afternoon and then by dinner time, it’s perfect!

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Figs - These are the perfect appetizer for your summertime grill parties. Unlike grilled figs with bolder blue cheeses, these allow the delicately sweet flavor of the figs to really shine through. Make sure to use SMOKED mozzarella, because it really makes all the difference and creates a nice creamy center. You can usually find it in better-stocked grocery stores.

Jewish Apple Cake - Try to make this cake a day in advance; it tastes better the day after it’s made, as it gets really moist from the apples. Add more apples to the layers than you think you’ll need. The batter rises and separates the apple layers if you don’t. You will think you have too many apples compared to the batter, but trust me, you won’t! This cake is very dense, and is great for breakfast as well.

Pignoli Cookies - Growing up in Northern NJ, it was always a treat to go to the Italian deli with my mom, because we each would get one of these cookies for the road. Now, I make them each year for the holidays. They can be a bit pricy, but are so, so worth it. I buy my pignolis at BJ’s for about $7/pound.

Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Goat Cheese Wraps - The credit for this recipe goes directly to my cousin, Kate, as this is her creation. These are delicious, filling, and super easy, especially if you prepare ahead and grill the chicken breasts ahead of time.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza - This was born out of necessity. I needed something to eat and I used what was in my fridge: some no-knead dough, some asparagus, some fresh mozzarella, and Boursin cheese (it was on sale). The result? Deliciousness

Pan Seared Chicken with Mushroom Marsala Cream Sauce - This is my take on Cook Illustrated’s method for pan-searing chicken. It definitely makes the most moist chicken breast I’ve ever had without brining. This sauce is what makes the recipe amazing, though. I often serve this with mascarpone-mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.

The BEST Guacamole - I would put this guacamole up against any other one out there. Whenever I serve this I’m always told, “This is the best EVER,” and am asked for the recipe immediately! And while it might go against what you think you know, make sure you use LEMON not lime, because it definitely makes a difference. I’ve made this in a molcajete (the traditional vessel for making guacamole) and a bowl with no great difference in results.

Brie with Sundried Tomato Pesto - This is a delicious appetizer that’s always a hit! This is a great dish to take to a party if you’ll have access to a microwave. Prep the brie and pesto before you leave, and then heat up when you arrive. Also, try cubing the brie and tossing everything with pasta for a super, easy dinner.

Roasted Eggplant Rollatini - This is a bit lighter than most Eggplant Rollatini recipes, because the eggplant isn’t fried. I like using Marcella Hazan’s quick Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter with this, because it’s super easy, but you can use whatever tomato sauce you prefer.

Mexican Black Beans - These beans are a great accompaniment to any Mexican or Latin dish. They have the texture of refried beans, but aren’t exactly fried. While 1 hour seems like a lot of time for a simple side, most of it is hands off while the stock is simmering. Try them. You won’t regret it!

So, this one isn't mine, but it is a HUGE favorite around my house (aka me, the hubby, and a whole bunch of starving young bachelors)... It is SUPER easy, and approaching Duggar-healthy, but if you need a treat to go with that Ben & Jerry's Half-Baked on a cold night, or just need a chocolate fix - this is the recipe for you

atheistjd wrote:
So, this one isn't mine, but it is a HUGE favorite around my house (aka me, the hubby, and a whole bunch of starving young bachelors)... It is SUPER easy, and approaching Duggar-healthy, but if you need a treat to go with that Ben & Jerry's Half-Baked on a cold night, or just need a chocolate fix - this is the recipe for you

It's not a recipe per se, but last night for Pascha (Easter) dinner (just Mr kaetrin and me so I didn't want to do a big traditional spread), I made white pizza (with gluten free crust) with a drizzle of olive oil and a thin layer of ricotta on the bottom (about 6 oz. for a 12" pizza I think), caramelized onions, asparagus, and cubed ham, and a little gruyere and pecorino cheeses on top.... It was so amazing that it might have to become my non-traditional Pascha tradition.

Crab-mon Cakes: Crab is pricey up here in the North East. In an effort to extend the crab, one day I used some canned salmon a friend had brought back from a fishing trip to Canada. Not only was it delicious, I was able to get two meals out of the cakes, because I froze half before coating. While the prep time is 35 minutes, 20 of those minutes are for chilling the cakes in the refrigerator, allowing you to prep the rest of your meal.

Low-Fat Falafel: This falafel recipe has all the flavor of the original, but without the fat because they’re not fried. The sauce is basically a tzatziki, with a twist! Serve wrapped in a pita or flatbread with cucumber dill sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and thinly sliced cucumber.

Roasted Pear and Blue Cheese Salad: This delicious salad is best served as soon as it’s made. The warm pears and almonds make the blue cheese nice and melty, which brings everything together very nicely. I like to make sure that my mixed greens has arugula in it, because I like the peppery bite it provides. The stated servings are for a small plated salad that you would typically serve before a sit-down meal. The recipe is easily doubled.

Spicy Lime Chicken Tacos: This dish is easy enough for a weeknight meal, because most of the cooking is pretty hands off. Yet it’s delicious enough to serve to company. We like things spicy, so add jalapeño and cayenne according to your own tastes, however, I think the lime and brown sugar provide a nice balance to the heat. The Black Beans and Guacamole recipes are in my TastyKitchen Recipe Box, so check them out!

Creamed Spinach with Jalapenos: http://texasonthehalfshel...ach-with-jalapeno-peppe/I have been in love with this recipe for nearly 20 years and could probably prepare it in my sleep. The extra pickled jalapenos can easily be left out -- I usually do -- and the spice will come from the pepper Jack.